Life's Never That Easy
by vampyre in hiding
Summary: After Edward left, Bella was lost in life, so Charlie moves them to Denali. There, she meets a golden haired beauty that captures her heart, but new loves always bring old drama...at least for Bella. Better summary inside.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: SM owns it all. I'm just borrowing them from her.

**Set after Edward leaves. Bella doesn't do anything stupid; she just meanders through life. After her junior year, Charlie decides to move them and something draws him to Denali, Alaska. **_**I know this sounds like another story, but I swear it's not going to be like it.**_** There, she finds the one thing she's needed her entire life and the one thing that'll bring to light all that's **_**wrong**_** with Edward Cullen. But, a new love brings old drama.**

**Pairing: Bella/Tanya Alice/Jasper Rosalie/Emmett Esme/Carlisle Jacob/? Carmen/Eleazar **

**Now, I know this isn't my usual type of story, but as I've been learning to expand my horizons, I did quite enjoy these books when I was younger, so I've taken on writing a pairing that doesn't get a lot of attention, though I think they're **_**very**_** sexy together. So, if you don't like femslash or Twilight or thought this would be a different kind of story, then you're more than welcome to leave, but if you like this I would love a review at the end. Thanks.**

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Denali was a beautiful place, I decided as my red truck clunked into the driveway of my new house. It wasn't a huge town and it wasn't extravagant, but it had a homey kind of feel to it that I was already getting used to. It reminded me a lot of Forks, but it didn't tug out those painful thoughts of the Cullens and I was thankful for that.

I wouldn't lie. I had been devastated when Edward left me alone – in the woods with no protection, I might add – and retreated into myself. I was growing despondent and distant and I knew it worried Charlie more than he cared to admit. I'd scream and cry late at night and he'd always come and try to comfort me the best he could, but he wasn't an emotional man and it threw him for a loop, so he decided it'd be for the best if we'd left and Denali just seemed to draw him in.

I shook my head and cleared the thoughts away. I wasn't upset we'd moved – hell, it was as though as pressure had been wrenched off my chest. It wasn't gone, but it was better. It wasn't like I was leaving anything behind anyways.

Pushing open my driver side door, I hopped out, only to stumble backwards and slam against the side of my truck.

"Careful, Bells," Charlie grunted as he removed himself from the moving van, an amused twinkle in his eye, and strolled around the van.

I rubbed my back slowly, but it did little to relieve the twinge of pain that arose. "How much is left to get inside?" I inquired, pushing off of the truck.

Charlie had been moving stuff for a good part of two weeks – well, him and Jake had been. The young wolf was granted special permission from the pack and Billy and he was more than happy to help him. With this trip being the last, I came up instead so that Charlie didn't have to go back down for another drive.

"Just the dinner table and its chairs. Oh, and your small dresser. Jacob helped me over the bigger one last trip."

I nodded and set to work helping Charlie. Even if it was kind of small, it was way too much for Charlie to carry by himself.

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I managed to help him get the dresser into my room without too much hassle and only tripped once, thank you very much. My room was bigger than the one in Forks, but not overly so. It was blue and purple with a nice sized bed and a side table next to it with an alarm clock.

Jake and Charlie had set one of my older bookshelves in between my two dressers. I didn't need two, but Charlie had insisted and I wasn't about to argue with him. He was proud of it, so I just agreed.

"How do you like it?" Charlie asked as I started getting settled in.

I smiled faintly at him, "It's really nice. It's a lot like the house at Forks."

Charlie nodded in agreement before strolling out of the room. He was leaving me to get settled in without him hovering – much like when I first moved to Forks. That's what I liked about him. He made the transition easier.

After a little while, when all of my stuff was mostly unpacked and put in its normal place, I went downstairs and into the kitchen. It was as close to the living room like it had been in Forks, but it wasn't too bad either. The living room and dining room were next to each other with the kitchen just past that.

"What do you want for dinner?" I asked, stopping in the doorframe of the living room.

"I was thinking pizza, that way you don't have to cook."

I shrugged. That sounded perfectly fine to me. I didn't feel like cooking much. It'd been a long three days. We drove straight through, stopping at rest stops along the way and getting a bite to eat. Charlie didn't want to stop and I really didn't want to either.

I took a seat next to Charlie on the couch, who had been watching the game. Baseball was really the only sport on, and though he really wasn't a fan of the sport, Charlie sat down to watch it anyways. He tried explaining the rules to me, but all I could think about was vampire baseball – watching everyone play – and nearly losing my life just for going with them in the first place.

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After dinner, I went ahead to bed, sleeping off the three-day travel. It was the first night in months I made it through without having a nightmare or at least waking up screaming.

I had a few days before school started back up, so when I got up the next morning, I got dressed to start the day and cooked breakfast. For a while Charlie and I ate in silence, but the silence grew old quickly.

"So, what are your plans for the day, Bells?" Charlie inquired, taking a sip of his coffee. He liked the really strong stuff, but I never had a taste for it.

I shrugged. "Go walk around. Maybe try and find a job." I didn't have any concrete plans other than getting familiar with Denali.

"Well, be careful." He took another drink and reached for the paper, ending the conversation.

When all the dishes were done, I left the house and started up my truck. I didn't know where I was really going, but that was all part of the fun of moving to a new place. The streets weren't all that busy, so I easily found a spot and parked.

'Eleazar and Carmen's Specialty Books and Café'. My curiosity was peaked and I felt a pull drawing me into the store. It was open and friendly with all sorts of books on any subject I could've asked for. There was even a particularly large section dedicated to vampires and werewolves.

"Welcome," greeted a woman with a warm smile. She was absolutely gorgeous with lush brown hair and bright, white teeth. Her eyes, however, had me stepping back in shock. She was a vampire – a vegetarian, but still! "I'm Carmen."

Swallowing hard, it quickly dawned on me. "You own the store?"

"My husband and I do," she replied, though her eyes were narrowed slightly. "Are you okay, dear?"

I probably looked surprised and probably a little pale, but I didn't know why. I knew she wouldn't hurt me, but I guess I expected to stay away from vampires, not move to the one place with them so open.

"O-oh, yeah," I stuttered, "I just…" I rubbed the back of my neck awkwardly, hoping to drive away the blush I was sure that was on my face.

Carmen smiled gently and patted my hand (her skin was just as cold as the Cullens). "Well, if you need anything, just let me know."

"Thanks," I called as she walked away, back towards the front of the shop. She had a blonde woman leaning on the counter, but I didn't pay her much mind.

I strolled around the store, bypassing the vampire books so they'd be the last thing on my list of things to examine. I touched the spines of multiple books and studied them, but nothing really caught my eye. They were insanely old – old enough that dust gathered on the covers and it made wonder.

They had some newer releases like 'Harry Potter' and 'Percy Jackson', but they were few and far between. Eventually, I made it over to the vampire books and – me being me – I banged into the side of a bookshelf and felt myself falling. I closed my eyes and waited for impact, but it never came. Instead, two very cool hands carefully grabbed my arms and tugged me back into a standing position.

"You should be careful," the most beautiful voice giggled. It was soft and lyrical and very feminine. "I hear losing a fight to a bookshelf is bad for your self-esteem."

I glanced at my 'savior' to thank her, but the words got stuck in my throat. My mouth suddenly felt like the Sahara desert and I felt _safe_ though I had no freaking clue why.

"I…Thank you," I said, my voice raspier than I intended. I didn't know what had gotten into me – I was still heartbroken over Edward, but…

"Not a problem." She smiled at me and it was like seeing sunlight for the first time. I was so confused. Edward never made the feelings I had flutter this much.

I blinked once and peered around, desperately trying to find something else to look at, but my attention kept going back to her.

"I'm Tanya." She extended a pale hand in my direction and I could only stare at it. She slowly drew it back, though she looked a little disappointed, so I reached out and took it.

Her hand was cool, but not icy like Edward's was. "I'm…Uh…" My mind blanked out and the embarrassment pooled in my cheeks. "Uh…Bella." I wanted to slap my forehead, but that would have made it worse.

"It's nice to meet you, Uh Bella," Tanya teased and my face grew hotter.

"It's just Bella," I said with a shy grin.

Tanya grinned back at me. She started to say something, but Carmen's voice called out to us. "Tanya, could you help me in the back?"

It snapped me out of my daze and I released Tanya's hand like I'd been burned.

"I hope to see you around," the gorgeous vampire told me with a grin as she sauntered to the back where Carmen was patiently waiting for her.

I scampered out of the store in a rush. I had moved to Denali to forget vampires, but it seemed fate just brought me right back to them. I don't know why I thought my life would be simple. It never was.

_**So, here's the first chapter. If you liked it, review. If not, I would appreciate no hate. Anyways… I plan to update this story and my others soon.  
**_


	2. Chapter 2

**Wow! You guys are awesome. That was the quickest response I've ever gotten for a story. It's amazing that you guys give me such uplifting reviews. I've never had so many followers and favorites at once. Also, I don't know the schedule for Alaska light and dark days, so let's just pretend that doesn't exist, okay?**

**Natcityjp: I could see Eleazar running one because of his knowledge of so much and considering he used to work for the Volturi, y'know?**

**Nikalex: Thank you for thinking this has promise!**

**Shellmar: I feel like slow burn works easier for this. If it wasn't, then the feelings wouldn't be as true in my opinion.**

**Now, I don't plan to use Tanya's point of view often, but it is needed for part of this chapter.**

**Anyways:**

**_Tanya_**

I followed Carmen into the back room, knowing good and well that Carmen didn't need any help at all.

"Is there a reason you called me in here?" I inquired, arching a brow.

Carmen gave me a gentle smile and it soothed away my irritation. She was one of my best friends – I'd known her over three centuries and she knew me better than most. "You would have frightened the poor girl away. Being around your mate would've made you do something that you would regret."

"No, I…" Carmen held up her hand in a calming manner and I wisely shut my mouth. I might be the coven leader, but even I was smart enough to know when someone knew something I didn't.

"You haven't been around when someone meets their mate," Carmen reminded, "For the moment you meet, you'll do anything for them. Considering the girl is human, she won't feel the pull like you do, Tanya. All she knows right now is she saw a vampire, just not _her _vampire. She's still positive she's Edward's mate, not the mate of some _female_ vampire she met in a bookshop."

I growled softly at the mention of Edward. I never quite liked the teenager. He was only a hundred years old, but he acted like he understood more than anyone else – more than myself or Carlisle or even the Volturi. He acted high and mighty, but he really wasn't more than a usual teenaged boy.

I knew about Bella long before Edward left her. Alice had come to Denali during the summer before Bella's birthday and told us everything. She had told the entire family before Edward decided to pursue the human that Edward wasn't her mate, but everyone (aside from Jasper, obviously) ignored her. Edward had said she was the wrong – the _future seer _was wrong. Hm…

After she came to us, we offered her a place in the Denali clan, but she had declined, so we made sure she knew she was welcome anytime. Family was family. Alice had been a good cousin to us and if the Cullens were going to listen to sulky Edward over Alice, then they obviously weren't as good of a family as they once were.

"So?" I wondered. "What should I do?"

"Bump into her. Get to know her – slowly. She'll start to feel the pull and might even come to you. Watch out for her, but don't stalk her like _him_," Carmen warned.

I pouted. I didn't want to wait. I'd waited a thousand years for her and now I had to wait longer.

"It's for the best and you know it," Carmen said with a sympathetic smile and pat on my arm. She knew about the wait. She had to wait nearly a hundred years for Eleazar, who wouldn't mate until he had left the Volturi. I genuinely hoped I wouldn't have to wait nearly that long.

I released an unneeded exhale and nodded. One human had turned me from a strong, centuries old coven leader into a… well, I wasn't a teenager when I was changed, but I felt like one now.

Carmen sauntered out of the back room and I followed, though my mind was jumbled with ideas of how to 'bump' into Bella.

I heard the bell on the door ding and I prayed Bella had come back in, but it was only Kate and Irina bickering as they walked inside.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Kate insisted stubbornly, though her amused smile said otherwise. She came up and leaned on the counter where I was before I'd seen Bella.

"Bullshit," Irina spat, glaring at our sister. She was noticeably irritated.

"What did you do?" I asked, tilting my head to the side. I knew Kate. If Irina was that annoyed with her, she must have done something devious.

Kate shrugged. "_I _did nothing."

Irina rolled her eyes and took a spot next to Kate, flickering her ear as she leaned forward. It wasn't the smartest thing she could have done, because Kate reached over and yapped our sister, who yelped loudly.

"All right, children," I scolded playfully. "I swear, you two act like you're only a century old, not ten."

Irina scrunched her nose in disdain and Kate just laughed, tapping Irina's shoulder once again. She inched away from Kate, running to the other side of the table to get away from the electricity. I couldn't blame her. Kate's power was a pain.

I shook my head. They acted like children so often that it was just amusing anymore.

"Guess who Tanya met today?" Carmen broke in, cutting off their squabbling.

Kate and Irina instantly quieted down and four golden eyes were staring at me with questions swimming in them.

"Did you finally meet her?"

"Is she pretty?"

"Where did you see her?"

"Did you kiss her?"

Their questions came in rapid succession, assaulting my ears. Kate's question threw me for a moment and I just watched their faces grow pleased.

"Yes," I smiled, "I finally met her. Yes, Kate, she is pretty, but no, I didn't kiss her. That would've scared her. And I saw her here."

"So she's a books kind of girl," Kate commented. "Why am I not surprised? Did you at least flirt with her?"

"No," Carmen answered before I could, "I called her to the back."

Kate's face drooped into disappointment and she whined, "Why?"

"She didn't want me to scare her away," I replied with a shrug. "Besides, I've waited a thousand years, I can wait a little longer."

"Well," Irina stared at her cuticles, "I'm glad you have that kind of patience. I don't think I'd be able to wait too long if my mate was human. They really are fragile."

When we were newborns, we weren't very controlled after our mother died. We were considered succubae, though we really weren't. We were lost and well…we had needs. Humans were easy to break and we all had our fair share of them. I knew they were breakable and considering Bella managed to trip while she was just walking around here, so it was slightly worrying.

"Anyways," Kate clapped her hands together, "I'm getting hungry and the sun was starting to come out when we came in. You want to come get something to eat with me?"

I nodded and we headed out the back. Carmen had that door specifically for sunny days. It led right into the trees behind the shop and sheltered us from notice.

"I'm thinking bear," Kate suggested with a wide grin. She loved the challenge of taking them down. She only used her gift when the bear started winning, but even then she didn't use it sometimes.

"You're always thinking bear," I replied with a smirk. We took off into the trees, a silent challenge raised between us.

**_Bella_**

I strolled along the sidewalks of the town, getting familiar with the shops, but my mind couldn't seem to drag away from the gorgeous _female_ vampire from the bookshop. There was just something about her and I couldn't understand what it was.

As it started growing dark, I made my way back to my truck in front of the bookshop and café. I could see a blonde female chatting with Carmen and a man, whom I could only assume was probably Eleazar. I knew the blonde wasn't Tanya, because the hair was different and that woman was taller and a shred of disappointment clouded over me.

I must have been staring too long, because all three vampires turned to look at me. Carmen waved and I gave a half-hearted one back. They were all smiling at me and I had no clue why, but I didn't want to know about what. When vampires smile, you're either interesting to them or… I shook my head. I definitely was _not_ going to think about that.

Hopping in my truck, I started my drive back to my house. It wasn't a long drive, but it gave me enough time to think. I was utterly confused. My first real day in Denali and things were already more complicated than I had expected. A vampire…a _gorgeous, __**female**_, vampire had kept me from banging my face and had caused butterflies I hadn't felt since the day I met Edward. My life was never going to easy…ever.

**If you like it, review, favorite, follow, whatever, just PLEASE let me know if you like it and if not, tell me what you think was wrong and I'll try to amend it as the story grows. If that's the case, send me a PM. If not, REVIEW or don't. It's your call.**


	3. Chapter 3

**You guys are so amazing. I've never had some many followers, favorites and reviews in such a short amount of time. You guys have surpassed my previous story on how quick it's gotten love. Ah! I just… THANK YOU GUYS.**

**Natcityjp: They're both going to be getting mates, but I'm not going to give anything away yet ;)**

**Quant: I don't know what you mean by spare wheel? That's a new statement to me, but she isn't going to be weak or by any means of what she is in the actual Twilight series or any of those things. I've never read either of those stories, so I can't say on that, and either way I wouldn't put down a fellow writer, so…**

**Denalishugs: There will be quite a few 'bumping' incidents, but maybe they won't all be by Tanya ;) who knows?**

**Shellmar: I personally believe butterflies don't mean feelings. When I'm around pretty people, I get butterflies, not because I like them, but more about their appearances. Annnnd, it has to do with the vampire-mating tug. There isn't a lot of emotion behind it, just an ever-knowing feeling. I mean, I'd be nervous around vampires, too whether I was mated to one or not.**

**GanHer: Aw, thank you! I'm really glad.**

**Arial Wolf: Slow is the way to go…**

**Anyways:**

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_Bella_

The days went by quickly, allowing me plenty of time to familiarize myself with the town. I learned where the school was, where the library was, and how far it was from the nearest hospital (when you're constantly attracting vampires, it's a good thing to know). I avoided the bookshop where I'd met Tanya and Carmen, trying to distance myself from _any_ vampire associations, though when I passed, I'd always look in to see if the blonde vampire was there. I didn't know why, I just did and usually, I wasn't disappointed. She'd smile and wave, but all I ever mustered up the strength for was a half-hearted wave before slipping away.

The only thing I couldn't manage to find…was a job. It seemed that everywhere I searched, no one wanted to hire a newcomer – especially a teenager. I applied anywhere I thought I could work that wouldn't leave me utterly exhausted or confused. Every place turned me down and said they'd keep my résumé if something opened up, though I doubted they would.

After leaving the sport goods store, I halted in front of Carmen's bookshop. There, in the newly washed window, sat a sign that mocked me, yet tugged me toward the door. 'Help Wanted' was splayed across the board in thick, inky black letters. A job I could do, well I might add, but at the cost of putting myself in the line of vampires once more. I wanted greatly to walk in there and apply, but something made me hesitant.

While I pondered my options, a man walked in front of me and in my haste to get out of his way, managed to step on my shoelace and tumble over. I closed my eyes and raised my hands out to brace myself, but for the second time in nearly a week, cooling arms took hold of me. This time, however, they were wrapped firmly around my waist.

I was brought up and steadied by gentle hands.

"My, my, you _are_ a clumsy one, aren't you?" someone teased and my eyes shot open.

I noticed Tanya, who for some strange reason still had her arms wrapped around me, and two nearly as gorgeous as Tanya (Where the hell did that come from?) blonde vampires grinning at me with eyes.

One of them muttered something at Tanya, who quickly retracted her arms from around me and moved to stand with the others.

I blushed, but desperately tried to will it away. "Thank you...again." My blush deepened and I swore I heard Tanya giggle, though when I checked, I couldn't be positive.

Tanya smiled and nodded, her wavy hair bouncing slightly. Her smile was enchanting, but I shoved that thought away.

"Well, aren't you going to introduce us?" asked the shorter of the two vampires I didn't know.

Tanya exhaled loudly and it nearly brought out a smile, though I kept it at bay.

"Bella, this is my sister Kate," she gestured to the shorter one, "Kate, this is Bella. We met at Carmen's shop a few days ago."

Kate smirked and stuck out her hand, ignoring Tanya's pointed glare. I timidly reached out and shook it, watching with confusion as Kate's smirk fell away. Her eyes seemed to narrow as she concentrated on her hand. She held it for a good minute, just staring at it until she released me.

She muttered quietly under her breath, but I didn't catch it, although Tanya and the other one seemed to if their amused grins were anything to go off of.

"I'm Irina," the other one introduced without Tanya's help, extending her own hand. Our shake was brief, but not awkward.

My eyes drifted back to the sign in the window and all three vampires' gazes followed.

"Oh, are you thinking of applying?" Kate inquired, arching a brow.

"W-well, I…" I didn't know how to answer. I wanted to, yes, but I was probably going to be turned down, so what was the point? What vampire would want a human lurking around the store?

Kate unexpectedly took my arm and dragged me inside before the others or I could protest.

"Carmen!" she called out, cutting off my whines of protest.

The other woman came out with a patient smile, watching me struggle futilely against Kate's grip. It wasn't tight, but it definitely kept me from getting away.

"Bella wants to apply to work here," Kate informed her with a wide grin and a part of me realized that if I actually got the job, the vampire was going to come in here and bug me repeatedly. She was going to be the female version of Emmett and Jake rolled into one.

Carmen turned to look at me. "Would you like the job or did Kate just barge in here to be Kate?"

I bowed my head, but nodded. I had wanted to make the impression, not Kate, but that didn't seem to matter to the blonde. "Well, I was going to come in here and apply, but Kate seemed to beat me to it."

Carmen clapped her hands together and Kate's grip seemed to disappear. "Perfect. You're hired!"

"Huh?" My head shot up in confusion. "Don't I need to fill out an application or something?"

Carmen tilted her head, her smile never leaving her face. She really did smile a lot. "Don't worry about that. I have a feeling you'll be perfect for this job and what you don't know, Eleazar or me can teach you." She flitted around the store, grabbing a shirt from somewhere in the back before returning to stand in front of me. She held it out and I cautiously took it from her.

"When do I start?" I asked. I was grateful to have been given the job so quickly, but the way Kate was smirking at me was unnerving.

Carmen pursed her lips. "You can start tomorrow if you'd like. I know you only have three days until the school year starts up, so I can train you tomorrow and Saturday and you can have Sunday off to get ready for everything. We'll discussion the schedule on Saturday. How does that sound?"

"Works for me," I nodded. I shook her hand. "Thank you!"

"It'll be a pleasure having you here," Carmen said confidently before looking at Kate with a stern expression. "You aren't allowed in here until _after_ Bella's training."

Kate's face fell into a pout and she crossed her arms. "Why not?"

"Because I don't want _you _running off a good employee with some juvenile prank. You'd think you were twelve years old, not almost a thousand."

I gasped. Not because they were vampires (obviously) but because I couldn't believe Kate was nearly a thousand years old. She was truthfully the oldest vampire I'd ever met, but I had a good feeling Tanya and Irina were close to that age as well.

"Oh, come on, you knew we were vampires," Kate said with an eye roll, though they were clouded with slight worry.

"Bella…"

"You don't look even close to a thousand," I blurted.

The room was eerily quiet before Kate burst out laughing, quickly followed by Irina. Tanya and Carmen only seemed to giggle, but my blush came back full force. I wondered absently if I was going to ever learn to control my blushing, but it didn't seem likely.

Kate glanced over at Tanya before turning back to me and winking conspiratorially. "If you think I look good for my age, you'll probably have a heart attack knowing Tanya's older than me."

My eyes widened. I couldn't believe it. Tanya was absolutely stunning. It was hard remembering that any of these women were that old and never going to age. I mean, Tanya didn't look a day over twenty four and she would always look like that.

"Whoa." Of all the things I could've blurted, whoa was _not_ on my list of priority. Anything would have sounded more intellectual.

Kate took pity on me and patted my hand, dragging me away from my staring at her sister. "I have a feeling you and I are going to be great friends," she informed with a smirk.

That reminded me a lot of what Alice had told me the day we met, but I shoved that idea away. Now was not the time to reminisce about the Cullens. I smiled back – albeit reluctantly at Kate. The idea of being her friend was terrifying, but a part of me was okay with that idea. I needed friends and a vampire friend or multiple vampire friends were still friends…just immortal ones. Maybe I was just going to be drawn to vampires for life and I just needed to accept that. Either way, vampires were better than loneliness, that was for sure.

**I end it here, my lovelies. I hope you enjoyed this latest chapter. It's setting in motion for things to progress from here. It will begin to have more interaction between our lovely pair soon and though they won't be together for a while, they're definitely going to start noticing some things later. And no, the 'bumping' isn't going to always revolve around the store. There's going to be plenty interaction outside of the bookshop and cafe. I promise. ANYWAYS…REVIEW! It's always nice to see them. **


	4. Chapter 4

**What's up, my lovely readers! Two updates this close? It's a record for me I'd like to think. After the reviews and follows I received, I thought I'd be nice and go ahead and update! So… Also, I should state that the wolves have already killed Laurent. He tried attacking Bella like in the book and all that really happened, EXCEPT he was not nor will he ever have been Irina's mate. **

**Shellmar: All I can say is Victoria isn't going to have a two-chapter write out and Jacob still has to meet the Denalis. That's all I'm saying ;)**

**Quant: Ahh! I understand now, well, kinda. I did read part of one of those stories and I can honestly say I'm not going to have Bella like that.**

**Natcityjp: He'll meet them, but… Well, that's all I'm going to let on.**

**Anyways: **

_**Tanya**_

I watched with an amused smile as Kate paced around a little while after Bella had left. She was pouting and grumbling to herself, though we could all hear her.

She was incredibly upset at the idea of a _human _being immune to her power, though there was an underlying tone of awe in her musings.

"You're just mad because you can't shock her like you do us," Irina snapped playfully. She thought it was amazing that Bella had outsmarted Kate's electricity without realizing she'd done anything to begin with.

Kate shot her a nasty look, though there was no real malice held there. "It's just my luck Tanya's mate isn't affected by my gift."

"Good! Finally someone you can't zap whenever you feel the urge," Irina replied.

Kate crossed her arms over her chest and her pout became more prominent until she turned to me and it melted away. "In all seriousness, I really like her. She'll fit in just fine with us," she informed me with a cheeky grin.

I smiled in reply. I couldn't wait for Bella to _want _to become part of our family. It was just the wait in itself that was frustrating.

_**Bella**_

The next few days were interesting to say the least. Carmen taught me the ropes, though there weren't that many. She showed me the back room and how to order stock if anyone came in requesting a book we didn't have.

Kate occasionally slipped in without Carmen's knowledge to distract me, but the Spanish vampire continued to send her away when she caught wind of her. It didn't bother me, but Carmen didn't seem to trust that Kate wasn't going to prank me or tease me into a permanent blush. It was nice the older woman was looking out for me.

When my training was over on Saturday, Tanya and Kate wandered in and Carmen decided not to send them away, though I had a feeling that had something to do with Tanya tagging along.

"So," Tanya started, leaning forward on the counter, "You're from Forks, right?"

I tilted my head. I didn't remember mentioning that. Hell, thinking back to it, I didn't remember telling them I knew about vampires. I was tempted to ask, but I thought it better to save it for another time. It seemed they knew more about me than I realized.

Nodding, I turned my attention away front the register. My eyes locked with Tanya's and my throat constricted. It felt like her scent was all around me - enveloping me. She smelled like mango and flowers. It was so... Tanya.

"How'd you end up in this place?" Kate inquired, yanking my gaze away from Tanya. I swore I saw her frown, but I wasn't positive.

"I had a... bad breakup and my dad thought it'd be better for us to move away from it all."

Kate accepted the answer, but there was another question on her lips. "Bad?"

I felt the familiar burn of tears, but I pushed them away. "Yeah. My ex-boyfriend left me in the forest and he and his whole family left town."

There was a God-awful screeching noise to my right and my head snapped up to watch as Tanya removed her hand from the counter and a huge chunk of the wood was missing. It was splintered and cracking around where the piece once was and my eyes widened.

"That's awful," Kate said sympathetically. "Couldn't he have picked a better place than the middle of the woods?" She voiced the same question I'd been wondering for months.

I shrugged and the two blondes left the subject drop. A burst of confidence surged through me and I decided to ask a question of my own. "How'd you guys know I know about vampires?"

Tanya suddenly became interested in her shoes and Kate's face grew guilty, like a child caught with their hand in a cookie jar.

"Um," Kate swallowed unnecessarily and something dawned on me. The Cullens had mentioned 'cousins' in Denali...

"You're the Cullens' cousins!" I exclaimed with wide eyes, glancing between the two vampires. Their bowed heads were all the answer I needed. Of course... Why am I not surprised I was working for a coven that was friends with the coven that abandoned me?

Tanya reached out and touched my arm, gaining my attention. "Yes, but we aren't very close with them anymore. We don't quite see eye to eye as of late," she replied, her eyes darkening noticeably.

The revelation didn't bother like I had expected it to. "Oh." All that interested me was _why_ they weren't all that close anymore, but that question probably wasn't the best to ask yet.

Silence overcame us. My chest ached faintly, but the urge to cry wasn't there. I mean, months of being away from them and being in a new town finally dulled the pain down. I also think it came from being around a _new _coven, even if I wasn't close to them.

The door chimed open and a couple of customers strolled in, chatting animatedly. The two vampires at the counter flitted away, presumably to the cafe where Carmen was. She had been making different pastries since my training finished and had me trying them, since she couldn't check herself if they were actually good.

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Work ended around ten and by the time I made it home, Charlie was sleeping on the couch, a beer clutched loosely in his grip. His position didn't look very comfortable, so I roused him away and sent him off to bed.

I washed off his plate in the sink and put it up before heading up to my room and getting dressed for bed. I opened the window and caught a whiff of Tanya's smell in the breeze, but when I looked out, there wasn't a trace of her, so I shrugged it off as nothing and fell into bed, my eyes closed before my head hit the pillow.

X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X

_I was standing in the middle of our – I mean, _the _meadow – with Edward. He looked as handsome as I remembered him, but there was something wrong. His facial expression was crueler than it used to be. His eyes were pitch black and his lips were pulled back in a feral grin. _

"_Oh, Bella," he practically growled, "You were nothing but a toy – something for my family and I to play with. I can't believe you'd think I'd _actually_ make you an immortal with us. It's just too bad James tainted you. I was never in love with you… I was only in love with your _blood._" _

_Behind him, his family stepped out into the clearing, their eyes pitch black. Even Alice was staring at me with contempt. _

"_You weren't fit to have the family name," Carlisle hissed._

"_I never saw you as one of us, anyways." My heart ached at Alice's words._

_Edward snarled, "I should've let Jasper kill you when he had the chance."_

_I closed my eyes and Rosalie's dark laugh infiltrated my head, echoing throughout my brain and springing forth tears. "You _are_ weak, Bella. You weren't right to be a vampire."_

_My eyes snapped open and I flinched back in fear. Jasper was running at me, his eyes like the night Edward threw me into the glass table. He was at his highest speed and no one was going to stop him._

_I threw out my fist, hoping it would deter him for a moment, but just as it was about to hit him in the face, something shoved him away and into the Cullens. In front of me, Tanya was crouched down and Kate and Irina took either side of me. _

_The covens were snarling fiercely at each other, hissing and snapping. Tanya was protectively in front of me, hunkered down, ready for an attack._

"_Bella, love." Suddenly, Edward was himself again. He was the charming teenaged vampire I'd fallen for, but his features still weren't right. They weren't how I remembered them…or they were. I wasn't too sure. "You're my mate. You know I couldn't hurt you."_

_Tanya roared with anger and charged at Edward, taking hold of him by the neck. "Don't lie!" Her grip on Edward tightened and cracks began to form. He looked at me, but nothing inside told me to help. His neck creaked as Tanya's hand twisted around and I watched as he turned to dust in her hand. It was like she'd set him on fire without ever needing a flame._

_There was an eerie silence before the rest of the Cullens evaporated into nothingness, leaving Tanya to stand alone in the meadow. She smiled softly at me before she and her sisters moved to surround me, though not predatorily. Hell, I couldn't even describe it, but in that moment, I felt safe with them around me and it made me realize I didn't care that they were gone. That was what Edward had wanted after all…_

X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X

I sat up in a cold sweat, my hair sticking awkwardly to my head. My bangs were practically dripping, leaving a cool trail on my forehead. I couldn't get Edward's face out of my mind. He was a true creature of the night, but Tanya… She had saved me (at least in my dream) and that in itself was more confusing than anything else.

X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X

**_I leave it here. I had a burst of inspiration and thought: Why not update now? I truly believe, though she doesn't understand it, Bella's subconscious, even this early on, would know the difference between mate and _assumed _mate, meaning she'd be more likely to dream about Tanya long before she noticed having feelings which would distort Edward into what he actually was, because I mean, she's smart. Next chapter, we meet Eleazar and Bella goes to school! Woohoo. And there might be a bump-in outside of the bookshop. Who knows? You guys should review! REVIEW! Please._**


	5. Chapter 5

Woohoo! You guys make me so happy. I mean, I absolutely love this story, and then you guys turn around and tell me you like it too and it's an amazing feeling. I honestly can't thank you guys enough!

**Kaq: She has had a good amount of time, but first loves are always the hardest to forget I feel like sometimes.**

**RossKath: you are more than welcome. I think we need more of them than there are.**

**Shellmar: Would she be anything else? ;) **

**natcityjp: I know, right? And he's been taking the week of them moving up there to relax before applying at the Denali Police Department.**

**hilt51: I feel like people do that to kinda progress the story faster than it should, and I don't really enjoy writing that as much.**

**AnFri: I'm glad you liked it. It's awesome you reviewed all four chapters, so thank you a lot.**

**Anyways:**

_Bella_

Sunday came and went, thrusting me into Monday without much warning. Charlie was in his usual seat at the table when I came down, reading the paper and sipping his normal cup of coffee. However, his casual attire was replaced and he was dressed to impress.

"Where are you off to?" I inquired, making myself a bowl of cereal and taking a seat in front of him.

Charlie smiled and flipped the page, his eyes wandering over the printed words. "I've got an interview with the Denali police."

I nodded, finishing off my breakfast at a normal pace. I couldn't see Charlie doing anything _other _than an officer. "I hope you get the job."

"I'm not worried, Bells," Charlie replied confidently, "I'm good at my job."

He was right. Charlie was one of the best police chiefs in Forks. He was bound to get hired.

I cleaned my bowl and hugged Charlie before making my way to the truck. I was nervous, worried about the whole 'new kid at school' thing all over again. It was hard the first time, but coming in at my senior year made it worst.

X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X

Denali High reminded me of Forks High. There were jocks, cheerleaders, cliques and boys that seemed to think that because I was the new girl, I'd be desperate. I even made a few friends - they reminded me of Jessica and Mike and Angela...even Lauren.

Ronnie was the Mike of the group. His blonde hair was in the typical douchebag, 'Justin Bieber' manner with bright blue eyes. He was lanky, but better looking than Mike _and_ smarter than him, too.

Luke was the Eric of the group. He ran the AV club and the photography club. He even tried to convince me to join, but I hastily decline. He was sweet, but nothing more than Eric.

Lily was Lauren completely. She was a platinum blonde with striking green eyes and designer clothes. She was nicer than Lauren, but just barely.

Ashlee and Hannah reminded me of Jessica and Angela, but Ashlee had more brains than my ex-friend. She was already dating Ronnie, but she made eyes at Luke, so I was unsure of what was going on.

I shared multiple classes with Hannah, two with Ronnie, and one with Ashlee. She was partnered up with me in Chemistry, but I didn't mind too much.

X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X

_**Tanya**_

I loved cloudy days. A good part of the time, the sun would peek out from among the clouds and ruin my fun, but today was not one of those days. Kate and Irina were in Anchorage shopping at the mall, but I opted out, much to Kate's teasing pleasure.

For a good part of the morning I ran inventory for Carmen and Eleazar, buying a few tribal books on shape-shifters and vampires. I decided to familiarize myself with our culture more, so I bought a couple every few weeks to read and learn.

After what humans call a 'lunch hour', I slipped out onto the street and made my way around, ignoring the usual stares. Some people stared in awe - mostly men, but some women as well - while others watched with contempt. There were a few who crossed the street just to be away from me, their defensive instinct kicking in. Those were few and far between.

I shopped around for a while, buying a few things here and there. I had enough money saved up I could buy anything, but I chose not to. I wouldn't spend just because I could. That wasn't the Denali way.

Walking about, I spotted Bella's monster of a truck roaring into a spot a few yards away. I assumed she must have just gotten out of school. A major part of me wanted to go over and talk to her, but I was worried she'd be frightened. She already had one stalker vampire, she didn't need another. I practically shuddered at the idea of being anything like that..._child._

I chose to stay on my side of the street, but watched her with intensity. She was accident prone and I didn't want my mate being hit by a car or crushed or something before I got to know her.

She disappeared into a supply shop at the corner and I quickly made my way across the street and into the store after her. She was meandering about, grabbing a few essentials for school, I assumed. Having never gone to high school, I was highly uncertain.

I maneuvered closer, but kept enough distance that she wouldn't catch sight of me. She was balancing multiple binders and notebooks. She went to grab a pack of pencils and I watched with slight amusement as it began to tip and wobble over. _Oh, Isabella...You sweet, sweet klutz._

I used my enhanced speed and reflexes to catch Bella's falling goods, securing them in my grasp before handing them to Bella with a knowing grin. She squeaked, understandably startled before accepting them with shaking hands.

"T-Tanya? What...?" She was so adorable when she was flustered that the urge to kiss her nearly consumed me, though I shoved it down, but just barely.

I shrugged noncommittedly. "I was looking around, looking for..." I glanced around awkwardly, "A notebook before I spotted you and came over to ask how your first day was." That sounded pretty believeable, at least to me.

"O-oh," she stuttered, a blush adorning her beautiful face, "It went pretty good. I met a few people and got acquainted with the school, so I guess it was a good day." She nodded and I smiled.

"That's good," I repeated, "If you need any help with anything, Kate and I are pretty good tutors," I offered, praying silently that she'd agree.

She seemed to think it over before smiling shyly. "Well, I sometimes have trouble with history and considering you guys have lived through a lot of it," she joked, letting it trail off with a giggle.

"Very true," I practically purred, "Just tell Carmen and we'll come to you or you could come to the house."

Bella smiled, but she looked incredibly nervous, so I decided to make my leave. I'd let her think the offer over, but I really wanted to spend more time with her.

"I've got to go hunting with Kate, so I'll see you at the shop, okay?" I watched as Bella's head nodded so fast that I worried it would snap right off. I initiated a quick hug and was almost buzzing with excitement as she hugged back, albeit awkwardly. I took leave and disappeared out of the store. Overall, it was a good damn day.

_I know I said I wouldn't include Tanya's POV much, but this was kind of needed, so... Anyways, y'all, hit me with reviews, please... Also, almost 200 followers? #squeals with delight# you guys are so awesome. Anyways, til next time._


	6. Chapter 6

**Alright, so I've been really behind and I know, but I've been having some issues with my life. Anyways, there have been a lot of reviews so to get onto the story so: THANK ALL OF YOU SO MUCH. I also apologize for any mistakes.  
**

**On to the show:**

My days in Denali shifted into weeks and before I knew, it'd become a full month in my new town. I'd grown to enjoy it. I'd go to classes everyday, then make my way to work around about five in the afternoon until close at nine – doing my work in-between helping customers.

I'd gotten especially close with the Denali coven. I wasn't as close with them as I had once been with the Cullens, but I appreciated their company more than the 'friends' I made at school. I'd even gotten to know Eleazar after a few days.

Currently, I was sitting at the counter scribbling down answers for my Algebra homework. I wasn't the best with this specific type of equations. Give me numbers and I could likely sort through to the right answer, but add this amount of letters to the problem and I blanked out noticeably.

I had the pencil trapped delicately between my lips when the bell above the door chimed. I released it, readying to greet the usual bout of customers with the typical, "Welcome to Carmen's, can I help you today?" when I noticed it was just Tanya.

"Afternoon, Bella," Tanya greeted with a wide grin, a bag clutched tenderly in her grasp.

I nodded my reply, returning the pencil to between my lips. Staring – well, actually glaring – darkly at the papers in front of me, I didn't happen to realize Tanya moved closer, setting her bag down as she went along.

"You all right, Bella?" she inquired, leaning over the counter to glance at my book. Her eyes traveled along the words curiously. "Ah, Algebra."

"You wouldn't happen to know how to do this, would you? I'm not sure I understand it well enough to get the answers," I admitted, "I've already tried three times and none of the answers were right."

With more grace than anyone other than a vampire could possess, Tanya hopped carefully over the counter and stood beside me, her cool body pressed against my side. I tried desperately not to think too much about it, but I could practically feel her skin through both sets of our clothing. It was rather maddening.

"Well," Tanya hummed, "You see, you forgot to move the x to here," she pointed on the paper and deftly popped the pencil out of my mouth and erased some of my work.

For the next few minutes, we discussed the outlining works of the equation until the door rang and actual people walked in, chatting loudly as they strolled about.

"Since business is starting to pick up a little, why don't you come over tomorrow after school and I'll help you with everything you don't understand? Any subject. And if I can't help you, I'm sure Kate or Irina will assist," Tanya said, tilting her head in question.

Shrugging, I had no problem with it. "Sure."

Tanya smiled and pressed a cool kiss to my cheek, catching me off-guard before vaulting back over the counter and taking her bag. "Come here tomorrow after school and you can follow Kate or me back to the house." She sauntered out of the store and into the crowd outside before I could utter a reply.

I laughed quietly to myself. Those damn butterflies were back. Shit.

**X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X**

The next day came and went pretty fast. What Tanya had taught me helped a great deal when it was announced we were having a pop quiz. Hannah and I chatted quietly throughout lunch and during our shared classes. She was slowly becoming a good friend.

I was walking out of the school when my phone buzzed violently in my pocket, alerting me of its incessant need to be answered. I fished it out and pressed answer before pressing it to my ear.

"Hello?"

"Bells!" Jake's excited voice bellowed through the phone, relief settled into his tone.

"Jake? Hi! What's up?" I opened the door to my truck and tossed my bag inside before climbing inside.

Jake chuckled softly. "The sky." Then he became somber. "Victoria's been sniffing around in search of you, I guess, but she hasn't been around the past few days so I was worried she followed you up to Alaska or something."

"I'm fine," I promised, starting up the truck. "Nothing out of the ordinary."

"I'm glad. You needed to get away from vampires anyways. They weren't good for you," he replied cheerfully.

_Shit._ I hadn't told Jake about the Denalis.

I felt guilty, but I replied in agreement, "Probably for the best." It was for the best not to ruin a perfectly good conversation.

**X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X**

On my drive to the shop, we talked about the basics: "How was life? School?" You know, the usual. As the truck rolled up in front of the shop, I noticed Kate and Tanya standing in front of the store, arguing over something, but I wasn't sure what.

"Bells, you okay? You haven't said anything," Jake said, his worry evident in his words. I wasn't sure why, but it kind of annoyed me.

"Yeah, I'm fine, but I've got to go, okay?"

Confused, he responded, "Bye," just before I hung up the phone and hopped out. I strolled toward the irritated blondes, watching with slight amusement as Tanya rolled her eyes at Kate.

"This isn't a good idea," I heard Kate warn, her head tilting back slightly.

Tanya growled, but it faded out as I saddled up to her side and glanced between her and Kate. Her face, however, stayed cold as she glared at her sister.

I touched her arm and inquired gently, "Are you all right?" I stroked her arm absently, watching as her face shifted back to its usual soft expression. When I realized what my hand was doing, I swiftly retracted it from her body. _The hell is wrong with me?_

"Everything's fine, Bella," Kate responded, "We were just having a slight…disagreement."

Arching my eyebrow, I said nothing. I knew how vampire disagreements could end, so I opted to keep my opinion to myself.

Shaking her head, Tanya smiled at me and linked our arms together. If she noticed me shiver at the touch, I wasn't sure, although I could have sworn I saw her lips twitch into a brief smile.

"Come on," she tugged slightly on my arm, "We need to go so we can help you with your work."

We started towards the truck when Kate halted us momentarily. "Tanya, why don't I ride with Bella back to the house?" She stared pointedly at her sister and I just watched with rapt attention.

"Kate…"

Said vampire just held her gaze, not backing down an inch. It seemed she didn't want me riding alone with Tanya, but I didn't understand why. I mean, they were a thousand years old – I'm sure Tanya's self-control was fine around humans.

Releasing my arm, Tanya snarled at her sister as she shoved past her, leaving me uncertain of what just happened.

"Is she okay?" I asked as Kate and I walked to my truck. I don't know why, but I felt the urge to worry over her, even if she was a vampire.

Kate nodded nonchalantly and threw open the door, climbing inside. "She'll be fine. She's just dealing with something right now, that's all."

Following Kate's lead, I got into my seat and started up my truck. It roared to life and Kate stared suspiciously at it. Her expression was so serious, it was comical and I laughed.

"What?" Kate demanded, her eyes moving from the front of the truck to me.

"Why are you staring at my truck like that?" I wondered between laughs, patting the wheel.

Kate chewed her bottom lip in thought, but unlike when Tanya did similar things, it didn't twist my stomach and make me want to puke butterflies. "To be honest, I thought your truck was about to blow up." She shrugged with a grin.

I gaped at her. I knew my truck was old, but it didn't sound _that_ bad.

"I'm just being honest," Kate winked, holding her hands up in surrender.

I shook my head and chuckled, backing out of the lot before gunning it.

**X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X**

After Kate's insult to my baby, the tension in the truck was broken and by the time we made it to their house, my sides were hurting from laughing so much. I hadn't spent a copious amount of time with Kate, but something told me she'd become one of my best friends.

"So, wait," I wheezed, "You turned Tanya's hair purple for a week?"

Nodding proudly, Kate smirked. "Yeah. I packed the showerhead with powered Kool-Aid thinking I was going to get Irina. So, while I'm out hunting about a mile from the house, I hear this bloodcurdling scream and I laugh, thinking it was my intended target, so I come running back, only to find Tanya screaming death threats. To say I was terrified for my life was an understatement."

That started another burst of laughter to erupt from my throat. I didn't even attempt to get out of the truck until it subsided. Eventually I managed to gain some of my senses back and got out, bringing my bag along with me.

I followed Kate inside and couldn't help but whistle with appreciation. It was open and bright. The windows were uncovered, leaving the sun to shine in without a single care. It was three stories tall and inviting. It was perfect.

Trailing behind Kate, we made our way into what I assumed was the living room. There was a 60" TV pressed against the wall with a couch across from it and two chairs scattered off to the sides. Tanya was lounging on couch, her arms crossed over her chest. I tried – believe me I did – but I couldn't stop my eyes from drifting along the swell of her clothed breasts. She'd managed to push them upward and I swear my throat felt like the Sahara.

_What is going on with me?_ I wondered, barely cutting my eyes up to her face before she turned to look at me. _I'm acting like a fourteen-year-old boy. I'm not even a lesbian!_

Actually, considering Edward was my only boyfriend, I wasn't sure if I liked women _and _men, but I didn't want to crush on Tanya – not that there was anything wrong with her, mind you. We'd just become friends and the fear of being left again was still there in the back of my mind. I wasn't ready to pine after another vampire yet. Besides, she was Tanya…Incredibly gorgeous Tanya that probably wouldn't like me as anything other than a friend.

Tanya stood from the couch and her shirt rose up on her stomach. All my saliva disappeared – again. This wasn't going to end well.

"You – your house is beautiful," I blurted, trying desperately to get her skin out of my mind. It looked so inviting.

"Thank you." Tanya smiled warmly. "Would you like a tour?"

I gulped hard. "Maybe later." I tried to smile back, but it's hard when your lips chap up and your mouth feels like sand.

Tanya offered her arm to me and, stupid me, accepted it, allowing her to escort me into the kitchen. There was an island long enough to spread out all of my work and comfortable stools set up in front of it. Hell, the whole room was large and extensive, even though they had absolutely no use for it.

"Get comfortable," Kate commanded playfully, "We're going to be here a while."

I opened my bag and retrieved all the subjects I needed help with: math and history.

Glancing at the two books on the counter, Tanya ran her tongue along her lip before peering over at Kate. "I'll help her with the math."

Kate took hold of my history book and flipped through it rather rapidly. "This'll be a piece of cake."

Tanya seated herself next to me at the counter and leaned in, bringing the book over towards her as she went. My notes were sticking out of it and she simply opened it up to that page and started reading, her eyes roaming down the words and equations. It was quite spectacular. Considering how she was bent over, I had a perfect view of her cleavage, which caused me to blush so brightly that I thought there was no possible way any blood was flowing because it was _all in my face!_

**X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X**

After my initial staring, I became more focused once Tanya started explaining the concepts of the Algebra. I didn't pick up on it instantly, but after she broke it down, it was easier to grasp. She made it possible to find the answers without having to guess every other try.

Kate, on the other hand, was a very…odd teacher when it came to history. She'd try to explain it, but get caught in the middle of a rant halfway down the page (Napoleon was a vampire! There was no way he died in battle. They just forget to mention they set him on fire after shooting him didn't faze him!) so Irina came downstairs and took over on Tanya's behest. It was pretty normal after that.

Tanya never left her seat at my side, but I suspected she grew bored with high school homework, not that I could blame her. It_was _pretty terrible. I barely managed to stay awake in class.

"Is that all you needed to know for now?" Irina wondered as we reached the end of the notes and chapter.

I nodded thankfully and I could swear I heard Tanya mutter, "Thank God," under her breath, but I couldn't be positive.

"Well," Tanya clapped her hands together, "Is there anything you need, school wise?"

My stomach growled before I could respond to her question and I blushed, patting my stomach in hopes it'd quiet down.

"Sounds like the human's hungry," Kate joked, poking at me.

I blushed harder and started stuffing my books into my bag. I'd have to stop off and get some food before I headed home, knowing Charlie probably already ordered a pizza or Chinese if he was off of work.

I got off the stool and looked at the three vampires perched in different areas of the kitchen. Kate was standing at the window, her skin shining slightly in the fading light.

"How about I take you to dinner?" Tanya suggested. At my surprised look, she continued, "I mean, you're obviously hungry and friends eat with friends so they don't eat alone, right?"

I opened my mouth, but nothing came out.

She offered her hand and a hopeful smile and I couldn't say no.

"Sure." _There's no way at _all _this could go wrong…_right? God help me. I took her hand and followed her out of the house with my bag over my shoulder.

**So, here's the newest update. I hope you guys like it. And yes, this means our favorite couple will start getting A LOT closer soon.**

**Anyways, if you enjoyed, please review. You guys know I love them.**


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